Car-fender



Patented Mar. 2 l I899. W. NORTHRUP &. J. KNOWLES.

DAB FENDER.

(Application filed. June 11, 1898.).

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Horncys.

THE NORRIS PKYEHS CD PHOTO LITNO MASHINGTON D C Wihjessss MW N0. 62l,476- Patented Mar. 2|, I899. W. NORTHRUP & J. KNOWLES.

GAR FENDER.

(Application filed. June 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

a a If No. 62!,476. Patented Mar. 2|, I899. W. NORTHRUPY& J. KNOWLES. GAR FENDER.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.) v(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L lI/II/IIIIII!!!llllllllll 1w: Norms P Unrrni) STATE s PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM NORTHRUP AND JAMES KNOWLES, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,476, dated March 21, 1899.

Application filed June 11, 1898. Serial No. 683,213. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM NoRTHR'UP and J AMES KNOWLES, citizens of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Car-Fender, of which the following is a. specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-fenders.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-fenders and to provide simple and comparatively inexpensive means adapted to be readily mounted on a car and capable of supporting a carfender normally above the track to clear obstructions and of permitting the fender to be readily dropped and held against the trackto catch a person and absolutely prevent him from getting under a car.

Afurther object of the invention is to enable a car-fender to be readily adjusted to clear the draw-head and bumpers of a car and prevent a person from coming in contact with the same, and also to provide means whereby afender may be readily removed, so that a car may be coupled with another without any of the fender-operating mechanism being exposed and liable to be struck by the adjacent pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a car provided with a fender constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan View. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the pivotallymounted fender-supporting frame. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the car. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the construction of the locking mechanism for holding the fender in its different positions. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional View of the locking device. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the vertically-movable block which carries the foot-plate. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken longitudinally of one side of the tilting fender-supporting frame, illustrating the manner of ad j ustably connecting the fender to the frame. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view illustrating the construction of the catch for securing the fender to the extensible rods of the tilting frame. is a detail sectional view of the same. Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the fenderlocking device, the section being taken longitudinally of the car.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsin all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a fender mounted on a car 2 by means of a tilting fender-supporting frame 3, which carries a weight 4 and which is adapted to counterbalance the weight of the fender and enable the same to be easily raised or lowered and held in an elevated position to prevent the fender from coming in contact with obstructions on the track. The fender 1 is composed of a bottom portion 5 and a back 6, and it is provided at the ends of the back portion with curved walls or wings 7. The back and bottom consist of suitable supporting-frames and net-ting stretched across and secured to the same to form yielding surfaces for preventing a person thrown into the fender from being injured.

The back of the fender forms a shield and prevents a person from coming in contact with the draw-head or other portion of the car, and the curved walls or shields, which have inclined upper edges, serve to support and brace the fender.

The front of the fender is provided with transverse rollers 8,'adapted to contact with the surface of the road-bed when the car tilts forward by reason of an application of the brakes and prevent the fender from burying itself and being broken or otherwise injured. The rollers enable the fender to pass over the surface of'the road-bed freely, but are not designed to run on the same at all times.

The tilting fender supporting frame is mounted beneath the platformof the car by suitable bearing-brackets 9, and it has parallel sides and a substantially V-shaped rear portion 10. The sides are composed of blocks 11 and tubular upper and lower bars 12, which Fig. 11

ICO

are connected by crossed inclined braces 13, extending from the end of one of the tubularv bars to the opposite end of the other tubular bar. The blocks 11 are journaled in the bear ing-brackets 9, which are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the car.

The V-shaped rear portion of the tilting frame converges inwardly and is com posed of parallel upper and lower converging bars, which are connected at their adjacent ends by the weight 4, whichforms the apex of the frame. The spaces between the upper and lower rods of the V- shaped portion 10 receive and are partially filled by crossed connections or braces 14, and when the fender is removed, as hereinafter explained, the tilting frame will operate to a certain extent as a guard or fender.

The fender is provided at its back with upper and lower eyes 15, arranged in pairs, as shown, and adapted to engage extensible bars 16, which telescope into the tubular portions or bars 12 of the sides of the tilting fendersupporting frame and which are provided at their outer ends with arms 17, arranged at right angles to the body portions of the extensible rods and forming hooks for engaging the eyes of the fender, whereby the latter is hung on the tilting frame. The extensible rods 16 are adapted to be drawn outward to permit the fender to be arranged sufficiently in advance of the car to prevent a person from coming in contact with the draw-head or other portion of the same, and after the fender has been removed for the purpose of enabling the car to be coupled to another the extensible bars are moved inward beneath the platform, so as to be out of the way, the upwardly-extending arms 17 being previously turned down to permit such rearward movement.

The extensible bars 01' rods 16, which telescope into the tubular bars 12,may be secured at the desired adjustment by any suitable means, such as a pin or key 18 and a series of perforations 19. The perforations are provided in the extensible bars or rods, and

the pin or key 18, which is preferably attached to the fender-supporting frame by a chain, passes through a perforation of the tubular portion 12 and is adapted to engage any one of the perforations 19.-

i The arm 17, which engages an eye of the fender, is slightly tapered, as shown,- and is provided with a longitudinal slot 20, in which is arranged a locking lever or catch 21, pivoted between its ends and provided at its inner end with a projecting portion 22, adapted to extend beyond the arm and engage the eye and prevent the same from moving upward off the arm 17. The outer end of the locking lever or catch is provided with a ring 23, which is adapted to be swung over the end of the arm 17 into engagement with a shoulder 24, whereby the projecting portion of the catch or lever is held in position for confining-the eye on the extensible rod 16. When it is desired to remove the fender from the extensible rods, each ring is disengaged from the outer end of the arm 17 and the outer portion of the catch or lever is swung outward to carry the projecting inner portion into the slot to permit the eye to move upward on the arm 17. When the eye moves upward on the arm 17, it is adapted after passing the projecting inner or lower portion of the catch or lever to depress and pass over the outer portion of the same automatically.

The rear or V-shaped portion of the tilting fender-supporting frame is provided with an eye 25, receiving one end of a lever 26, and the latter, which is fulcrumed between its ends in a bracket or hanger 27, has its front end connected with a lever 28, arranged at right angles to the lever 26 and connected with a locking device and operating mechanism for controlling the fender to raise and lower the same, secure it in an elevated position, so that it will not come in contact with obstructions on the track, and also to lock it in its depressed or operative position, so that it cannot accidentally move upward and pass over a person. The rear end of the lever 26 is rounded and loosely arranged in the eye 25, so that when the lever 26 is oscillated the rear portion of the frame will be moved upward or downward. The front end of the lever 26 is provided with a longitudinal slot or opening 29, which receives the rear end of the lever 28, and the latter, which is fulcrumed between its ends in a hanger or bracket 30, is provided at its front or outer end with a slot 31 and is attached to the lower end of a connecting-rod 32. The inner or rear end of the lever 28 is reduced to fit the slot or opening of the lever 26, and it is provided with a stop 33, consisting of a pin or other suitable fastening device passing through the lever 28 and located in advance of the lever 26.

The connecting rod 32, which passes through an opening 34 of the platform of the car, is reduced and loosely secured in the slot 31 of the front-end of the lever 28, and the upper end of the connecting-rod is attached to a vertically-movable block 35 and extends into a casing 36, in which the block 35 slides.

The casing '36, which is in the form of a stand, is mounted uponthe platform adjacent to the dashboard of the car, and it is provided in its front face with a vertical slot or opening 37, through which extends a shank 38 of a foot-plate 39, arranged on the exterior of the casing and connected with the sliding block by said shank. The bottom of the casing 36 is provided with an opening for the passage of the connecting-rod, which is attached to the sliding block by means of a stem 40, forming a joint 41 at a point below the block to prevent the parts from binding and to avoid making a large aperture in the bottom or platform of the car.

The sliding block, which is mounted in suitable ways 42 of the casing or stand, carries a spring-actuated lug 43, arranged, preferably, at the rear face of the sliding block and operating in a longitudinal way 44 in the rear wall of the casing, and the way 44 is provided at its lower portion with opposite branches 45 and 46,'separated by a central longitudinal partition-piece 47. At the upper and lower ends of the longitudinal partition-piece 47 are arranged spring-actuated switches 48 and 49, adapted to direct the lug 43 from one branch of the way 44 to the other and to cause the said lug when the sliding block is reciprocated to pass down the branch 45 and up the branch-46.

The partition-piece 47 is provided at its lower end with a shoulder 50, adapted to be engaged by the spring-actuated stud 43 when the-sliding block is depressed for holding the fender in an elevated position to prevent it from coming in contact with obstructions on.

the track during the ordinary travel of a car. In event of danger when it is desired to drop the fender to the track the foot-plate is depressed by the motorman, carrying the stud or lug 43 downward past the switch 49, which directs the stud or lug to the branch 46. The motorman then, by releasing the foot-plate, permits the fender to drop to the track, the sliding block moving upward and the stud or lug 43 traveling through the branch 46 to the upper way 44. The sliding block is locked in its raised position to hold the fender against the track by a spring-actuated catch 51. Each switch consists of a tapering plate hinged to the partition-piece 47 and extending across the longitudinal way from the partition-piece to one side wall of the way and normally held in such position by a spiral spring 52, mounted on a stud 53of the switch and having one end seated in a socket or recess of the adjacent wall of the way. The switches 48 and 49 extend in opposite directions and they operate automatically.

The spring-actuated stud 43 of the sliding block is preferably carried. by an oscillating arm 54, arranged in a substantially sectorshaped-recess'55 of the rear face of the block and pivoted at its upper end. The lower portion of the oscillating arm 54 is recessed and supported by a cross-piece 56, and the spring 57, which actuates the stud 43 to cause the latter to move from one branch of the way 44 to the other, is interposed between the upper portion of the arm 54 and the adjacent wall of the recess 55, being fitted in suitable sockets or openings of the arm and the block, as clearly shown in the accompanying drawings. The front face of the block is provided at its upper portion with a recess 58, tapering in depth to form an inclined face for engaging the inner end of a spring-actuated pin of the catch 51, and a socket 59 is provided below the recess to form a stop to be engaged by the spring-actuated pin or bolt of the catch 51, whereby the catch is positively locked in an elevated position to hold to cause the same to fall automatically when the sliding block is released and placed in position for free upward movement. The le-' vers 26 and 28 have their front portions of greater Weightthan their rear portions to asciently to carry it from the shoulder 50 to the.

lower end of the way 44, which slight movement carries the stud 43 past the switch 49. The motorman then releases the foot-plate, and the weight of thefender will slide the block 35 upward to the top of the way 44 and into engagement with the catch- 51, thereby locking itself automatically. When it is desired to return'the fender to its normal position,it is only necessary to depress the foot plate until it engages the shoulder 50, theclick resulting from such engagement indi 'cating when the sliding block has reached such a point.

It will be seen that the fender can be set and held above the rails so that it will not touch them or the ground while the car is in motion and that when there is danger ahead the motorman by stepping on the foot-plate willunlock the fender and allow the same to fall to the ground or track, the fender in falling automatically locking itself in such position so that it cannot move upward and pass over a person. The fender may be raised by simply withdrawing the spring-actuated pin orbolt and depressing the foot-plate.

The fender is capable of adjustment and is adapted to be arranged the desired distance in advance of the car, and this, together with the particular construction of the fender, prevents a person when picked up by the device from striking the draw-head or any other projecting portion of the car.

Various kinds of fenders maybe mounted on the fender-supporting devices, and when the fender is removed its supports may be entirely arranged beneath the car, so that another may be coupled to it without lia bility of injuring any of the mechanism. The extensible bars which support the fender are adapted to be partially rotated to turn the arms downward, so that they may be removed inward beneath the car, and the locking devices carried by the arms are simple in construction and positive and reliable in operation. By adjusting the extensible bars at'the top and bottom of the sides of the fender-supporting frame the fendermay be readily arranged so that its bottom will be in a horizontal position and so that the only tipping action will result from. an application IIO of the brakes of the car, and then the rollers at the front of the fender will prevent the latter from entering the ground and will cause the fender to pass freely over the same. It will also be seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings that the carfender does not interfere with the use of snow-plows 60, which are mounted and arranged in the usual manner.

lVe desire it to be understood that various changes in the form, proportiomand arrangement of the parts maybe resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

\Vhat we claim is 1. In a device of the class described ,the combination with a fender, of a tilting counterbalancing-frame designed to be pivoted beneath the car and provided in advance of its pivotal point with tubular bars, and the eX- tensible rods telescoping in the tubular bars and supporting the fenderan d permitting the same to be adjusted to the desired position in advance of a car, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a car, and a fender, of a tilting fender-supporting frame pivoted between its ends to the car and composed of opposite sides, and a substantially V-shaped rear portion cou nterbalancing the fender and adapted to form a guard, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described ,the combination with a car, and a fender, of a fender-supporting frame pivotally mounted beneath the car and composed of opposite sides, and a substantially V-shaped rear portion provided at its apex with a counterbalancingweight, substantially as described.

4.. In a device of the class described ,the combination with a car, and a fender, of a tilting fender-supporting frame pivoted between its ends and composed of opposite sides extending in advance and in rear of the pivotal point, and a rearwardly-disposed portion connecting the sides and located in rear of the pivotal point, and means for adjustably and detachably mounting the fenderon the sides of the tilting frame, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described,the combination with a car, and a fender, of a pivoted fender-supporting frame provided at opposite sides with upper and lower tubular bars, the extensible bars telescoping in the tubular bars, adjustably secured to the same and provided at their outer ends with fastening devices for detachably engaging the fender, substantially as described.

(3. In a device of the class described ,the combination with a car, and a fender provided with eyes, of a fender-supporting frame provided with tubular bars, the extensible rods telescoping in the tubular bars and provided at their outer ends with angular-disposing arms engaging the eyes of the fender, said rods being adapted to be partially rotated when the fender is removed to permit the arms to be turned down and arranged beneath the car, and means for detachably securing the fender to the arms, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described,the combination of a car provided with bearings, a pivoted fender-supporting frame journaled between its ends in said bearings and composed of sides arranged parallel with each other, and having upper and lower bars and provided at the inner ends of the bars with blocks, and the V-shaped rear portion having upper and lower bars and provided between the same with connections, and extensible bars mounted on the upper and lower bars of the sides of the frame and adapted to support a fender, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described ,the combination of a car, a pivotally-mounted fendersupporting frame arranged beneath the car and adapted to balance a fender partially, said frame having its pivotal point arranged between its ends, the lever 26 pivoted between its ends on the car and connected at its rear end with the rear portion of the frame, the lever 28 fulcrumed between its ends and connected at its inner end to the front end of the lever 26, and operating mechanism mounted on the car and connected with the front end of the lever 28, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing designed to be mounted on a car and provided with a vertical way having separate branches at its lower portion and provided at its bottom with a shoulder,

a sliding block mounted in the casing and designed to be connected with a fender, a stud mounted on the block and arranged to move in the said way, and switches arranged at the ends of the said branches and adapted to direct the stud and cause the same to move down one branch and up the other, substantially as described.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of a pivotally-mounted fender-supporting frame arranged beneath the car, a casing having branches or ways and provided with switches, and a block mounted in the casing and connected with the frame and provided with a stud arranged to travel in the branches or ways, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing provided'with a vertical way and having two branches at its lower portion with a separating-partition between the same, the oppositely-disposed resilient switches each extending from the said partition to one wall of the way, and a vertically-movable block designed to be connected with the fender and provided with a yieldingly-mounted stud arranged to travel in the way of the casing, substantially as described.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with a vertical way and having a partition at its lower scribed.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with away and having a longitudinal partition forming two branches and provided at its bottom with a shoulder, the switches hinged to the upper and lower ends of the partition and extending from the same in opposite directions, springs engaging the switches, and a vertically-movable block carrying a stud arranged to travel in the way of the casing, substantially as described.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with a way having separate branches, said way being also provided with a shoulder, a sliding block mounted in the casing, and a spring-actuated arm pivoted to the block and provided with a stud arranged to travel in the way of the casing, substantially as described.

15. In a device of the class described, the

' combination of a casing provided with a way scribed.

having separate branches and provided with a shoulder, switches arranged at the ends of the branches, a sliding block havinga recess, an arm pivoted in the recess at-one end, a cross-piece supporting the arm near the other end thereof, a stud mounted on the arm and arranged to operate in the said way, and a spring interposed between the arm and one of the walls of the recess, substantially as de- 16. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a casing, a sliding block mounted in the casing and designed to be connected with a fender and provided with a. foot-plate, said block being also provided at its upper portion with an inclined face and having a stop or shoulder below the same, a spring-actuated catch mounted on the casing and arranged to be depressed by the inclined face of the block and adapted to engage the shoulder or stop thereof, and means for locking the block at the bottom of the casing, sub: stantially as described.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fender having an eye, of a rod havinga slotted arm receiving the eye, a lever pivoted in the slot and provided at its inner end with a projecting portion arranged to confine the eye on the arm, and a ringcarried by the outer end of the lever and adapted to engage the outer end of the arm, sub stantially as described.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rod having an arm arranged at an angle to it and adapted to receive an eye of a fender, said arm being slotted, .a lever pivotally mounted in the slotted arm-and provided at its inner end with a projecting portion, adapted to be moved into the slot of the arm to permit the eye to be passed over the same, and means for detachably connect ing the outer end of the lever to the arm,

whereby the projecting portion of the lever is held outside of the slot to confine the eye between it and the body portion of the rod, substantially as described. In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM NORTHRUP. JAMES KNOWLES. Witnesses:

M. E. BROWN, MARY KLocKE. 

